The present invention is directed to a dispenser for dispensing flowable or particulate matter such as fish food, birdseed, etc. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a timed dispenser for dispensing matter during a set cycle or over predetermined intervals.
Dispensers for meting out set quantities of matter such as fish or animal food have been known for quite some time. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,925 to Roberts relates to a fish food dispenser in the shape of a rotatable cylinder and having a scoop and chute mounted within an interior thereof. As the scoop rotates through the lowest position of the dispenser, it is filled with material that falls into the chute as the scoop rotates through the top position of the dispenser, with some material falling back into the interior of the cylinder itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,018 to Matsuda et al. concerns an automatic fish feeder which comprises a container having a discharge port and a partition wall extending inwardly from an upper edge of this discharge port. An adjusting member situated along the discharge path controls the amount of feed that is dispensed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,214 to Denney et al. discloses an automatic fish feeder in which a cylindrical feed container is keyed onto a motor shaft of a conventional electric clock. A deflector baffle is secured within the container for tumbling fish food as the container rotates, the food exiting through an intake opening provided on the lid of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 2,042,455 is directed to a volumetric dispenser for liquids in which a partition is positioned within a vessel to define a measuring compartment for liquid therewithin. U.K. Patent application No. 2,228,103 relates to a cylindrical cartridge for dispensing toner in a photocopying machine in which a bent baffle is positioned.
However, dispensers for dispensing flowable or particulate matter such as fish food have all previously suffered from several disadvantages. Smooth, continuous dispensing of flowable or particulate matter has at best been difficult, with such dispensers being primarily suited for dispensing flowable or particulate matter at set, finite instants. Furthermore, ambient vapors, e.g. moisture from a fish tank, can easily enter such feeding apparatus such as through the feed outlet and dampen and coagulate the food contents therewith which makes it impossible to dispense the food from the feeding apparatus. Dispensing of particulate matter in general from such devices is rather difficult, because the exit conduits can easily become clogged with particulate matter. Uncomplicated dispensing of discrete adjustable quantities has been a problem in the past, because regulating of amounts of material dispensed at each interval has necessitated rather involved steps and/or components in such devices.